Planning and prep for Community Thanksgiving Dinner underway

The Community Thanksgiving Dinner is returning to the dining room this year.

“We will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner in the St. Jude Thaddeus Parish Center located on the corner of Seventh Aveenue and Fifth Street on Thursday, November 24th, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m,” organizer Debbie Rhines said in a release. “For the past 40-plus years, this dinner has been free to all who wish to participate. We give thanks to our anonymous donors and the many volunteers who have made this dinner possible for our community.”

The popular event was canceled in 2020 as a surge of new COVID-19 cases hit the area, and in 2021 was only available as delivery and to-go meals handed out at the Parish Center.

This year it returns to its traditional format, and the organizers are looking for volunteers for both Wednesday and Thursday Thanksgiving Day. To volunteer, people can call or text Rhines at 406-945-2833.

People who are homebound and not physically able to attend the dinner in person can reserve a meal to be delivered to their home during the morning hours of 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. the morning of Thanksgiving Day, the release said. Reservations are being taken at the North Central Senior Citizen Center by calling 406-265-5464. Reservations must be made by 4 p.m. the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 23.

People are asked to respectfully reserve one meal per homebound person.

“We will not be providing meals to go, as we are returning to serving the dinner in the dining room at the Parish Center,” Rhines said. “The spirit of this dinner is to bring the community together as one big extended family to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.”